Here is another chapter, sorry for it being late. As an apology I tried to write more and got up to 2064 words. I'm proud of myself for achieving that. Anyways, you all probably want to read the chapter now.
I do not own Young Justice, that is for Warner Bros.
"Team, report the mission room, now." Batman's voice echoed throughout the cave, alerting the team, or who is left of the team, of their upcoming mission. Everyone went to the mission room, and couldn't help but think about their missing member. Robin has been gone for awhile, and their worries were getting worse. Without the mini-bat or any other evidence, they might have to accept the fact that he's dead, and that's not something they're ready for. A screen popped up, showing a map of the area they're heading to. "There's been an anonymous tip that there's going to be a drug deal in–"
The holographic screen's image started fizzling, static filling it. Batman started to type rapidly on the touch keys, trying to figure out what's wrong. The team glanced at each other, conveying their thoughts through the mind link.
'Do you think someone's trying to get access to the Mountain again?' Artemis asked.
'I do not know. It may be one of our enemies trying to get in, or hacking into our system.' Kaldur thought about the possibilities.
'Hacking? Maybe it's Rob?' Wally suggested, highly wishing it was his best friend.
'Do you think its Robin trying to reach out to us? Maybe he found a way to contact us!' M'Gann stated her hopes, but it was soon crashed when a video popped up on the screen.
A man was sitting in a chair, his entire upper half encased in shadows so nothing could be made out except the outline of his body. He had his hands folded in his lap, leaning back in the chair. "If you are getting this now, you are probably wondering what is going on, or how I am even able to do this." A deep voice, obviously modulated, came through the computer. "It is basically my high intelligence that allows me to do things that even Lex Luthor can't do. And Batman, don't even bother trying to trace this, you aren't going to find anything." Glances was sent to the adult in the room, who had stopped typing to glare at the screen, seeing as his only link to finding out where this was coming from was gone. He, along with everyone in the room, had a bad feeling when this video popped up, and knew that they were going to see something they didn't like.
"This is just a simple update about your youngest hero." Gasps ran around the room. Whoever this was knew about Robin. "Also his little 'friend'. That is, if you actually noticed that she was missing. I wouldn't be surprised." He chuckled a little bit, and almost everyone could feel the other tense from the sound.
"Where is he?!" Conner yelled.
"It's a recorded message, Superboy." Batman said to him.
"Does it look like I care?" He growled.
"Now you probably want to know what is happening to Richard while he is in my custody." Wally, Artemis, and Batman stiffened at the mention of Robin's real name. He couldn't have found out, could he? The others were confused for a second before piecing it together. "Although, you may wish to have never known after seeing it." They don't know how, but they could tell he was smirking.
The image changed to Robin and a girl with red hair wearing all black, stuck in pods.
"I can't believe they actually have her. I was just hoping that it was someone else…" Artemis looked to the ground, and Wally had a slight disbelieving look on his face. He went over and put a hand on her shoulder.
"Alex and Dick are going to be okay. With some bruises, yeah, but when does any situation leave us unscarred?" He gave a small smile toward her, and she returned it.
The man's voice started talking, though it sounded just as modulated as it did when he was talking. "Do you think I'm that stupid? I already know your identity…" A pixilated version of the man walked towards each of them, whispering something they assumed was they civilian identity considering their reactions. "I guess you still won't do it, so I'll just make you. There's a reason for those pods you know."
Everyone tensed even more, dread filling them. They knew something bad was about to happen, or since this was previously recorded, had happened.
Dick's pod started glowing red inside it. He started to sweat and pant, his hands clenching and unclenching, some parts of his skin started to burn. He feebly looked around, his hands touching multiple parts of the pod, as if trying to find a way out.
Alex's pod glowed an icy blue. She started shivering uncontrollably, her body twitching in unnatural ways. Suddenly, a cold mist filled her pod, seeming to cause her even more pain and made her scream. Her vibrant red hair started to turn dull, her hands gripping for anything that could possibly stop the torture.
Both had their hands around their necks, coughing and wheezing from the lack of air getting into their lungs. Soon they fell to the bottom of the pod, weakly banging against the transparent part of the case, showing their resignation. "Done."
M'Gann gasped, tears coming to her eyes. Conner put his arm around her, his teeth gritted, obviously holding back on hitting something. Kaldur was tight lipped, his expression unreadable, though they could tell he was angry and worried for their youngest member. Artemis had her eyes clenched shut, trying to calm down, her hands turning white from clenching them so long. Wally was indescribable, they've never seen him this angry since Artemis was killed in the failsafe (not that she was aware of that). His teeth were gritted, his eyes glaring mercilessly at the screen. His face was red with anger, and some had taken a step away from him.
The video showed Alex and Dick out of their pods and ready to charge at the blurred figure, but for some reason, there were silver bracelets around each of their hands and feet. Once they went to attack, the cuffs glowed, releasing an electric shock into the two Gothamites. Both fell to the ground, convulsing violently and smoke wafting from them.
Next the screen showed Dick, face-down, struggling on a table, maskless, the cuffs preventing him from getting away. "What are you going to do?" A deep low voice came from his mouth, sounding unrecognizable to the team who noticed that his entire body was tense, wanting to go into action.
"This is just the first of the things you will be going through." Everyone who was watching stiffened as they saw a black gloved hand holding a knife that was heading towards his back. The knife made a smooth and quick motion, slicing his shirt open. The hand suddenly picked up a metal stick that was lying in a fireplace nearby.
"This may hurt a bit."
"I can't watch this. Can someone shut it off?" Artemis asked, almost desperately.
"I tried, it won't." Batman's voice surprised them, since he barely said a word since the video started.
The piece of hot metal was pressed into Dick's back and he flinched, gritting his teeth and closing his eyes to prevent himself from showing signs of pain for this man's satisfaction. When it was pushed harder into his back, the boy gave up and started to yell, his shouts causing his teammates and friends to shiver and look away.
The screen abruptly changed, showing Alexis in Dick's previous position, struggling in her restraints. "You know, I find it amusing at how little of a fight you put up. Grayson needed two guards to restrain him. I expected more… vigor from you." She fought even more against the cuffs at his words. "Ah, there's that flame I was looking for." She glared at the blurred picture of the captor.
"What did you do to him?" She grounded out.
"Do not worry, he is still alive. Unconscious, yes. In pain, definitely, but he is still alive."
"You fucking bastard!"
"I've heard worse." A knife sliced open her shirt, just like what happened to Dick. The metal stick was picked up from a purplish blue fire, the branding glowing an icy blue.
"What the hell are you going to do?! You do know how wrong it is to take off a female's—GRRR!" She was interrupted by the branding stick being shoved into her back. She struggled even more, bruising appearing around her wrists and ankles were she was being restrained. The stick was pressed down more aggressively, making Alex start screaming.
After, the screen split into two, one side with Dick in a room by himself, a black object in his ear. He was cuffed behind his back, sitting against the wall, shirtless. On the other, Alexis was shown, stuck on a platinum table in an all-metal room. There was a sound of a lever being pulled, and suddenly she was being shocked, electricity running up and down her body. Blood-curdling screams were released from her mouth, the torture causing her excruciating pain. Dick was panicking for one of his closest friends, yelling into the empty room, hoping he'll hear her. "Alex! Can you hear me? Alexis! ALEX!" He struggled more in his bonds, trying to get out, but everyone knew he couldn't.
Wally and Bruce knew this possibly the worse torture for Dick. Knowing that something bad was happening to someone, especially someone he cared about, and he couldn't do anything. It reminded him of how vulnerable he was when his family fell off that trapeze, how he couldn't do anything. Considering that past, this would just add on to the trauma and feelings of being useless.
The next part showed each of them sitting in a chair, asleep with metal helmets on their hanging heads. Dick was mumbling something and everyone strained their ears to hear.
"What?" There was a pause. "But it was an accident." He started twitching, small movements with his body. "Bruce!" Suddenly there were tears leaking from his closed eyes. "Please! You can't die! Please!" He seemed to be begging for him to come back to life, as if he could wear down the clutches of death enough to let his mentor go.
Batman seemed to be watching this all with a stoic face. Even though, on the inside was a mess of emotions. Worry, anger, fear, all mixing together with other negative emotions almost tearing him apart. He took Dick in as his ward, and this is what happens under his supervision. It was partially his fault for this happening, but he is going to continue to look for his ward- no son -and this was enough proof that he was still alive.
"Wally, Roy, Artemis, Kaldur, M'Gann, Conner. Please. At least one of you has to be alive. Please. You can't be dead."
Everyone's heart broke slightly at hearing his voice. He sounded so frail, so sorrowful, so vulnerable. It was obvious he was being mentally tortured by having to see their deaths; just like in the mental exercise gone wrong. Yet this time, it was more than likely more brutal than the failsafe exercise, something they couldn't imagine going through again. They didn't want to believe it was him on that screen, but it was and they couldn't do anything against something that happened already.
He was picked up by a robot, though before his body could leave the room, they heard him scream something in a way that made them all feel miserable.
"PHOENIX!"
The video ended right there. Everyone was frozen in silence at the unforgivable acts committed on the screen. That was until they heard the Zeta tube be turned on.
Recognized. Batman 02.
The sound of the computer announcing his departure snapped them out of their dazes. M'Gann broke out into tears, sobbing into Conner's chest. He had his arms wrapped around her, a worried look on his face. Kaldur left the room, though he seemed calm, everyone knew he was beyond angry and distressed. Their emotions were being conveyed through the link that they unconsciously set up, and they were all feeling each other's feelings. Artemis and Wally shared a look, and knew what the other was trying to say. Everyone on the team shared a unified thought in that one moment.
We're going to get Robin back.
That is it for Chapter 16. Remember to review and hopefully will see you all soon.